Browsing by Author "Vanwalleghem, Gilles"

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    Multiscale activity imaging in mammary gland reveals how oxytocin enables lactation
    (2020) Stevenson, Alexander J.; Vanwalleghem, Gilles; Stewart, Teneale A.; Condon, Nicholas D.; Lloyd-Lewis, Bethan; Marino, Natascia; Putney, James W.; Scott, Ethan K.; Ewing, Adam D.; Davis, Felicity M.; Medicine, School of Medicine
    The mammary epithelium is indispensable for the continued survival of more than 5000 mammalian species. For some, the volume of milk ejected in a single day exceeds their entire blood volume. Here, we unveil the spatiotemporal properties of physiological signals that orchestrate milk ejection. Using quantitative, multidimensional imaging of mammary cell ensembles, we reveal how stimulus evoked Ca2+ oscillations couple to contractions in basal epithelial cells. Moreover, we show that Ca2+-dependent contractions generate the requisite force to physically deform the innermost layer of luminal cells, compelling them to discharge the fluid that they produced and housed. Through the collective action of thousands of these biological positive displacement pumps, each linked to a contractile ductal network, milk is delivered into the mouth of the dependent neonate, seconds after the command.
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    Multiscale imaging of basal cell dynamics in the functionally mature mammary gland
    (National Academy of Sciences, 2020-10-27) Stevenson, Alexander J.; Vanwalleghem, Gilles; Stewart, Teneale A.; Condon, Nicholas D.; Lloyd-Lewis, Bethan; Marino, Natascia; Putney, James W.; Scott, Ethan K.; Ewing, Adam D.; Davis, Felicity M.; Medicine, School of Medicine
    The mammary epithelium is indispensable for the continued survival of more than 5,000 mammalian species. For some, the volume of milk ejected in a single day exceeds their entire blood volume. Here, we unveil the spatiotemporal properties of physiological signals that orchestrate the ejection of milk from alveolar units and its passage along the mammary ductal network. Using quantitative, multidimensional imaging of mammary cell ensembles from GCaMP6 transgenic mice, we reveal how stimulus evoked Ca2+ oscillations couple to contractions in basal epithelial cells. Moreover, we show that Ca2+-dependent contractions generate the requisite force to physically deform the innermost layer of luminal cells, compelling them to discharge the fluid that they produced and housed. Through the collective action of thousands of these biological positive-displacement pumps, each linked to a contractile ductal network, milk begins its passage toward the dependent neonate, seconds after the command.